Utilising bryophyte herbarium material as a source of fungal novelty: a case study presenting new records of Bryobroma gymnomitrii (Döbbeler) Döbbeler on Gymnomitrion Corda in Britain and North America

Author: mycolabadmin
7/29/2024
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Summary

Researchers examined over 400 preserved plant specimens from museum collections to find fungi that had been unknowingly collected with liverwort plants. They discovered a small fungus called Bryobroma gymnomitrii in specimens from Britain and Alaska, expanding where scientists knew this fungus lived. This study shows that old museum collections are valuable treasure troves for discovering fungi and understanding how they are distributed around the world, especially as climate change threatens these plants.

Background

Bryophyte herbarium collections often contain bryophilous fungi inadvertently preserved with their host plants, providing valuable temporal and spatial snapshots of bryophyte-fungal associations. Most bryophilous ascomycetes produce tiny fruitbodies that are easily overlooked during collection and storage. Herbaria represent largely untapped sources for discovering fungal species and their biogeographical distributions.

Objective

To identify and document new records of the bryophilous ascomycete Bryobroma gymnomitrii from herbarium material collected in Britain and North America, and to demonstrate the utility of bryophyte herbaria for bryo-mycological research. The study aimed to expand the known distribution of this fungal species beyond its previously documented range in northern and northeastern Europe.

Results

Five herbarium collections containing Bryobroma gymnomitrii were identified, expanding the known distribution to include the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, representing the first North American records. The fungus was found to be specific to Gymnomitrion concinnatum and G. corallioides, forming gregarious black perithecioid fruitbodies on the lower parts of host shoots. The fungus was not detected on other Gymnomitrion or Marsupella species examined despite screening 18 different species.

Conclusion

Bryophyte herbaria contain valuable, inadvertently preserved bryophilous fungi that can yield significant new species records and biogeographical information. The study demonstrates that bryologists can contribute meaningfully to bryo-mycological research by utilizing existing herbarium collections. Future work should focus on systematically screening bryophyte herbaria to document fungal associates and inform understanding of fungal-bryophyte relationships across time and space, particularly as climate change threatens arctic-alpine specialist species.

Published in:Journal of Bryology,
Study Type:Case Study, Taxonomic Survey,
Source: 10.1080/03736687.2024.2375407, PMID: 39635270